Division I - Biology, Chemistry, and Process Engineering

Division I comprises twenty KIT research institutes, the KIT Department of Chemistry and Biosciences and the KIT Department of Chemical and Process Engineering as well as the Helmholtz Research Field Information with P2 - Natural, Artificial and Cognitive Information Processing (NACIP) und P3 - Materials Systems Engineering (MSE).

Together we are focusing on our new research theme "Material and energy cycles in circular economy, life science engineering, process technology and digitalization". In this way, we research and teach the latest processes and methods of material and energy conversion for the circular economy and build a synergistic bridge to the life sciences. In terms of content, the size scales are addressed both theoretically and experimentally from nanogram synthesis to the near-industrial ton scale. All research in Division I is geared to the requirements of a resource-efficient data-based society.

Professor Dr. Andrea Robitzki has been Head of Division I since February 15th, 2020,

Head of Division I

Prof. Dr. Andrea Robitzki

Contact Team Division I

Material and energy circuits in circular economy, life science engineering, process technology and digitization

Analysis of a cerium oxide catalyst using carbon monoxide probe molecules and infra-red reflection absorption spectroscopy. (Figure: IFG/KIT)

Catalyst Research: Molecular Probes Require Highly Precise Calculations

Scientists of KIT Use Advanced Methods with Hybrid Functionals for Analysis of Active Sites – Publication in Physical Review Letters

Operando X-ray spectroscopy shows what happens in each single part of a working catalyst. (Photo: Dr. Dmitry Doronkin, KIT)

Three-dimensional View of Catalysts in Action

Operando X-ray Spectroscopy Brings New Opportunities for Materials and Reaction Diagnostics – Report in Nature Catalysis

Hydrogen: Researchers of KIT seek to use the potentials of fuel cells for heavy goods vehicles. (Photo: wbk, KIT)

New Production Technology for Heavy Goods Vehicles

Resource-efficient, Flexible, and Low-cost Production of Fuel Cells – State Ministry of Economic Affairs Grants Funding in the Amount of about EUR 1 Million

A platinum/palladium noble metal block, the atoms, and deposition of a platinum cluster on cerium oxide that acts as efficient catalyst. (Figure: ITCP/KIT)

How to Make Catalysts More Efficient

DFG Funds New Collaborative Research Center “TrackAct” at KIT for Understanding Catalytic Processes

Pyrolysis oil from mixed wastes is to close the loop for plastics from automotive engineering. (Photo: Markus Breig, KIT)

KIT and Audi Are Working on Recycling Method for Automotive Plastics

Closed Loop for Plastics from Automotive Engineering: Recycled Plastics Are Processed to Pyrolysis Oil Which Can Then Be Used for New Components

NMR probe (left) with miniaturized detector (right). In HiSCORE, such detectors will be combined with hyperpolarization to acquire binding processes of substance candidates. (Photos: Markus Breig, KIT)

Drug Screening at Far Higher Throughput

Processes Are Accelerated by a Factor of 10,000 – European Research Council Funds KIT Re-searchers and Partners Involved in the HiSCORE Project

In vivo images of growing artery (A, B) and confocal images of arterial blood flow and arterial endothelial actin cytoskeleton (C, D). Detailed caption at the end of the text. (Images: ZOO, KIT)

Specific and Rapid Expansion of Blood Vessels

Nature Communications: KIT Researchers Identify a New Mechanism to Control Endothelial Cell Size and Arterial Caliber – Basis for Better Treatment of Heart Infarct and Stroke

Color change: The right microcylinder printed with the novel photoresist appears white, because light is scattered in its sponge-like structure, whereas the cylinder printed with conventional photoresist appears transparent. (Figure: 3DMM2O)

Novel Photoresist Enables 3D Printing of Smallest Porous Structures

Researchers of the Cluster of Excellence 3D Matter Made to Order Expand Possibilities of Two-photon Microprinting